Fashionably Late
by KreadStornham
Summary: The Heroes' Ball. Once a year, the top fifty heroes, support crew from all over Japan and politicians who make the Hero industry possible all gather with the Prime Minister to host a celebration. Crackshot saw the whole thing as an opportunity, but... Why are they all laughing? And who are they waiting on...! Why are they placing bets!


AN: Mild Spoilers! Mentions of Characters from the Overhaul (Manga) arc and Two Heroes (movie)

I just watched the movie a few hours ago! It was amazing! Sorry, I'm fanboying pretty hard, I guess? Watching that last conflict, and imagining adult Izuku, I couldn't help but throw this together. I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

Invading the Heroes' Ball had been a crazy idea. Crackshot had made it happen, with a small team of dedicated members. Diplomats were cowering, staring at the weapons corralling them like the pigs they were. Heroes, unarmed and dressed to kill, were trapped across the room. A majority of the crew was surrounding that group, keeping them trapped in the corner as far from Crackshot as possible. Taking the executive leaders of the police and the prime minister hostage had effectively rendered everyone in the room unable to stop him.

Crackshot should have been watching the hostages quiver in fear, looking at him as if he were judge, jury and executioner. People should have been begging for their lives.

"Really, I'm a bit shocked." A mutter came from the suits behind him, setting off that vein in Crackshot's temple. His doctor had warned him about his temper. "I thought this would have been over already."

"It's no surprise. We just need to be a bit more patient. He should be here soon, after all." Crackshot fired a pair of shots into the stage at their feet, causing the suits to jump in shock. Neither of them seemed afraid, though. The vein bulged as he activated his quirk, refilling the pistol.

"You! Watch these pricks." Crackshot ordered three of his men. He knew it wasn't a terribly good idea, but he wandered over towards the civilian hostages. Most of them were unknowns, but he recognized two or three. One in particular stuck out, physically a head taller than most of the crowd. "You! All Might! Get out here!"

The old man huffed and stumbled through the crowd until he stood facing a pair of submachine guns, staring at Crackshot with bored eyes. Being so close to the man who'd once been called the 'Symbol of Peace' pissed Crackshot off. A tired sigh escaped the old man as he glanced around the room.

"Yes?"

"Join the executives." Crackshot growled. All Might shut his eyes and groaned.

"Uh, sir…"

"Crackshot!" Crackshot fired off a round for emphasis, then refilled the chamber. All Might lifted his hands and shrugged.

"Eh, Crackshot. What exactly are you after?" Crackshot stared at the man for a moment.

"Why would I tell you, All Might? Just get moving. I'll use you to make an example of!"

"You're worried none of us are taking you seriously." All Might said. Crackshot hesitated. All Might shrugged and slipped his hands into the pockets of his suit. "Really, I can't blame you. You're trying to inspire fear. If I'm right, then you're doing this as a stunt. You're not very well known, and more than likely you don't have a real plan of action…"

Crackshot seethed. He unloaded a round into someone's leg, staring All Might in the face the entire time, and smiled.

"You saved everyone with a smile back then, right? I'll show people what happens to people like you. Get onto the stage."

"You really shouldn't have done that." All Might sighed, then took off his coat and stumbled over to the hostage Crackshot had shot. After tying a makeshift tourniquet, he followed Crackshot to the stage. Something about his stare was different though. "If you hadn't hurt anyone , you may have made it out of here without getting injured."

"Your heroes are useless while I have the leaders of Japan hostage…!" Crackshot growled. All Might sighed and joined the others, stumbling as Crackshot shoved him.

"That's not why they aren't moving." All Might glanced over at the other group. "They're waiting, just like the rest of us. Those who know, at least. I'm sure he'll be here soon, though I can't imagine why he's late."

"Who?! Who could possibly save you all from this!" Crackshot unloaded his weapon, firing off into the crowd a few times for emphasis and then shattering some windows just to hear at least a _few_ screams. "I've got the elite of this country under my thumb, all the pro heroes under guard, and _not a single one of you dares make a move!_ I've single handedly become the most dangerous person in the country."

" _OI, fuck face!_ " Crackshot groaned aloud and spun to face the crowd of heroes.

"What?!" Crackshot glared their way, identifying a blonde guy in a red shirt who stood in front of the others as the one who'd shouted. Bakugo, the Explosion hero.

"How long has it been since you started this shit show?!" Crackshot stopped. Then checked his watch, and (if only to try and figure out _why_ ) called back. "I've had control of Japan for twenty minutes."

"Whatever." The blonde turned to talk to a few others in a slightly more quiet voice. Crackshot ground his teeth.

"Ah, two things before you go over there." All Might raised a hand, coughing some blood into his handkerchief and scowling at it before he tucked it away. "First of all, I should tell you now. I strongly recommend you give all this up. You haven't won at all, since I don't think everyone arrived before you started the invasion."

Crackshot paused. He knew they were all waiting on someone, but 'who' still escaped him. He growled as he moved toward the edge of the stage. All Might lifted a hand again, this time with a small parcel of money in it.

"The second thing?" Crackshot grinned.

 _Finally!_

"Is that a bribe? I'd have expected…" All Might shook his head, chuckling lightly until it dissolved into a coughing fit.

"Not at all. Sorry, but could you give this to Bakugo and tell him 'thirty two minutes'?"

"Eh?" Crackshot stared at All Might blankly. The money wasn't an insubstantial sum at all.

"Please. You're on your way over there, yes?" Crackshot scowled, took the money and pocketed it.

"You're a lot dumber than I gave you credit for, All Might." Crackshot fired off another few shots as he headed across the room. He approached the heroes carefully, then stopped just in range of hearing their conversation.

"…Is very un-herolike!"

"Iida, just take a number."

"…Forty minutes." Glasses muttered. Laughter ran through the crowd. Crackshot stared at them. He'd been mostly ignoring them, since they'd been quiet but… they weren't being quiet at all. The guards had mostly lowered their weapons and chose to look on with as much shock as Crackshot was. Each of the heroes had grouped off and begun little conversations. They mingled, drifted through the crowd and laughed. No one behaved like a hostage at all. Part of him wanted to shoot them, but having the heroes get out of sorts would be detrimental to the plan.

Blondie noticed him after a few minutes and grinned ferally.

"Oi, did ya bring All Might's money?"

"Eh?" Crackshot blinked.

"The money, fuck munch." Blondie sighed. "What did All Might tell you? When he gave you the cash."

"…He said thirty two minutes." Crackshot muttered. A laugh rippled through the heroes. He recognized several: the guy with pitch black skin and the one with the bird head, A girl with brown hair and cheeks, A beauty with a long pony tail, Todoroki (who the fuck didn't know that bastard), Vine girl… Almost all of them were famous, after that trouble with the League. Being here wasn't surprising. Really, Crackshot wondered, had he ever stood a chance if they fought back?

"So, let's see…" A man Crackshot recognized as Red Riot spoke up loud enough to be heard over the muttering heroes. "We've got bets still going! Eight for twenty five minutes, Seventeen for thirty minutes, one for thirty two minutes, three for thirty five, eight for forty five… and two for forty minutes. Anyone else?"

"You're gambling?" Crackshot muttered in the silence. They all glanced his way. Most of them smirked.

"Why not?" A pretty girl with red hair and a small eye mask shrugged and grinned. "Some of us wanted to fight back…"

"But then we realized he's still missing." The beauty with the ponytail shrugged and smiled, as if she'd told herself a joke. "Really, he's always like this. I'm sure he got distracted with the suit again."

"Fucker can't tie a tie to save his fucking life." Blondie groaned. That got an honest laugh from all of them.

"What do you all think he wore?" A girl with pink hair and skin chimed in. Crackshot stared as they began what looked like another round of betting.

"WHO ARE YOU ALL WAITING FOR?!" The heroes stared at him with shocked expressions. Maybe shrieking like that was a little beneath him, but he was at his limit. Todoroki blinked, then smiled.

"You… don't know who's missing, do you?" Crackshot groaned and rubbed his temples.

"I'm not concerned with the fucking guest list. Would someone please…"

"You broke in here without knowing who would be here?" Blondie growled. When Crackshot didn't answer, they all began laughing, trying to hide it behind their hands and failing. Eventually the crowd dissolved into laughter, growing louder as he continued. "Whatever. I'd deal with you, but he'd get all mopey. Plus, this is a new suit. Bullet holes are annoying."

"STOP LAUGHING!" Crackshot fired his revolver again, refilling it until they finally stopped laughing at him.

"Oh man." A girl with a punk haircut and long earrings chuckled and twirled… No, those weren't earrings. Earphone Jack was still laughing behind her hand. "You're really going to get it now."

"Oh, oh! Bakugo, what time is it!" The brown-haired girl bounced up and down, raising her hand like a fucking child to an adult. Bakugo grunted and checked his watch.

"Eh… thirty minutes."

"I think he's here!"

Silence followed, as everyone listened. A slight tremor ran through the building, barely even enough to register as something odd. Crackshot called out orders, snapping his guards to attention as he made his way towards the stage and his more valuable hostages.

As he climbed onto the stage the door opened and three newcomers came wandering into the ballroom. He recognized the blonde: Melissa Shield was one of the most famous researchers around, and he paid enough attention to the news to know that she'd been in japan for a month or so now. Seeing her come in late was a bit surprising… but she wasn't who they'd been waiting on. Even if that dress was a knockout. Just behind Shield was a little girl, a teenager with white hair and a horn growing from one side of her face. Crackshot had no idea who thought bringing a child to a hostage situation was a good idea, so he turned to the man in front.

Nothing about the man leapt out at him. Crackshot had never seen him before in his life. The newcomer's tuxedo fit him tightly but looked a bit rumpled. The tie was missing entirely… Crackshot grunted when he saw the bowtie untied, hanging from his neck and swaying with his gait. His hands were carelessly stuffed into his pockets, as if he'd simply strolled past the guards without a care in the world. Black and green curls ran wild over the man's head, completely untouched with product or anything at all. It made him look childish, and a bit too innocent to be a hero at all.

"Who the fuck are you?" Crackshot growled. The group paused, and Shield grabbed the girl. Crackshot raised an eyebrow as the girls glared in his direction.

"Ah, sorry." The man stepped forward, grinning slightly and moving towards the stage. "I've got an invitation, are you the security?"

A laugh ran through the room. Crackshot realized that this was the man they'd been waiting on. Bakugo groaned, then turned towards the stage.

"Thirty-two minutes! All Might wins!" The newcomer paused and looked towards the crowd of heroes with a confused expression. "Oi, fuck-shot or whatever your name was! How much did he bet?!"

"You're all betting on me being late?!" The newcomer cried, eyes wide in shock and hurt. The girls he'd brought laughed a bit. "Guys! I thought we talked about this!"

"IF YOU DON'T MIND!" Crackshot cried over the ruckus that sprang up in the wake of green-hair's whine. "I'M A LITTLE BUSY TAKING OVER THE COUNTRY? ANYONE?!"

A comfortable silence settled over the room, and Crackshot grinned.

"Thank you. Now, newbie. Since you're late, everyone here was waiting one you. Honestly, I'm about at the end of my rope. Who the fuck are you?"

"Ah… You don't know me?" The man's eyes widened. A hand drifted to his head, and he grinned. "Oh, sorry. Without the hood, it's kinda hard huh? I guess that means its working, eh Melissa-chan?"

Another laugh. Crackshot's teeth ground loud enough to be heard across the whole room.

"LAUGH IT UP! Let those hostages bleed out for me, why don't you!" The temperature rose suddenly. Crackshot glanced at the newcomer in shock. His smile had disappeared, replaced with an angry frown. Slowly, it returned and stretched until it was too wide to be a kind hearted smile.

"Bleed out? Did you shoot someone…?" No one spoke. The women behind the newcomer darted quietly towards the heroes and slipped in to the crowd. Crackshot's throat closed up in the face of the presence that this nobody was suddenly throwing off. He filled the room, drawing Crackshot into his green eyes until he had nowhere to run.

Green light burned beneath the man's skin, flowing through pulsing red veins and then throwing sparks of green light off his suit. A burst of warm air began to flow, until suddenly Crackshot felt himself being pushed back by the wind coming from the man. Bolts of green lightning arced from his skin to the floor and ceiling, creating a personal firestorm around him.

* * *

Izuku felt his ears burn as he glared at Crackshot. His eyes swept the room, and he picked out a few of the hostages from the politicians' group who were down on the ground. Red carpets made it hard to pick out blood, but black and white dresses and shirts made it a little easier. The smile on his face stretched till it hurt, and Crackshot took a step back.

Before Crackshot's foot touched the ground, the world slowed down until it nearly stopped entirely. Izuku's bracelets, and the vest beneath his shirt, came online with no other provocation. His arms and chest were covered in scales, and his shoes were coated in a metallic shine. After a moment to take in the room, he sighed and moved towards the guards. The heroes' guards went first, tossed towards the door like the robots Yuuei had used way back when. Every gun he took was emptied with mechanical precision from years of practice.

After a few moments, he'd taken all the guards. He looked over the group of injured and sighed. None of them seemed vitally wounded, and with Eri in the background they'd be fine shortly. Crackshot stood on the stage, barely moving to try and keep up with Izuku's moves. His head had tracked the first move, at least, and was moving back towards the door with horrifyingly tiny motions. Izuku hopped up on stage and let his hold on One for All loosen, restarting the world around him. The villain yelped and fell backwards, halfway between Izuku and the crowd of politicians. Izuku smiled, keeping it small, while his eyes bled the fury roaring inside him.

"Did they fight back when you shot them? Or was it just… for fun?" Crackshot stared at him, quivering like a kitten who's just realized there are bigger things hunting it. Izuku crouched down, staring at Crackshot. "I know you. Your goons call you Crackshot. Quirk: Recycle. Anything you've held can be refilled to how it was, within a few minutes. Guns, for instance. It's not terribly useful for things like money, gems, food or water, but you could've found a good use for it. I'm sure with a quirk like that, and your skill, you could've been someone important."

"What do you know?!" Crackshot screamed. Recognition filled his face suddenly, and he went quiet.

"Instead." Izuku smiled a bit more. "You came and decided to take a bunch of hostages. You shot innocent people and held others against their will. You even cursed in front of Eri. That… Well, even Kacchan would leave you bleeding after that."

Izuku wasn't sure what Crackshot saw in his eyes, but it worked. Crackshot seemed close to wetting himself.

"You know who I am, right?" Crackshot nodded. "My friends are a bit ridiculous. But I'm glad they left you to me. Otherwise I'd have been a bit disappointed."

Crackshot whimpered. Izuku tightened his hold on One for All, letting the world slow down again.

* * *

Crackshot watched as the miniature firestorm disappeared. His men flew across the room like ragdolls, followed by the pieces of their weapons, and suddenly the green haired man was standing right in front of him. Crackshot yelped and fell backwards, staring up at him. He was supposed to be short, compared to Crackshot. Those eyes made him look taller than All Might. Green light and sparks slowed for a moment, still dancing across his skin. For a moment, Crackshot thought they were coming from the anger in the man's eyes.

Wait. Green eyes.

 _GREEN EYES_.

Shit.

Crackshot listened to his monologue, voice growing quiet and cold as Crackshot whimpered and nodded when he asked questions. He didn't know who Eri was, or how he hadn't recognized _the number one hero_ , but now…

Crackshot screamed as the world blurred and he suddenly found himself falling off the roof of the Prime Minister's hotel.

* * *

"What exactly did you do to him, young Midoriya?" All Might stared as the ambulance loaded the crew into the back, restrained and drugged with quirk suppressants. Izuku shrugged and sighed.

"My hand slipped." All Might gave him a look, then chuckled.

"I should thank you." Izuku scoffed, then shoved his hands in his pockets and wandered towards where his classmates were waiting.

"I still can't believe you all bet on me. Cheater." All Might chuckled behind him, and Izuku whirled to glare at his mentor. "I should tell them you cheated."

"I would never…" Izuku rolled his eyes.

"You're a horrible liar, All Might."

 _End_


End file.
